Soon after taking over the TSA earlier this year, the former FBI deputy director Pistole told USA Today
that he will work to expand airport Gestapo zones. “Protecting riders
on mass-transit systems from terrorist attacks will be as high a
priority as ensuring safe air travel, the new head of the
Transportation Security Administration promises,” the newspaper
reported on July 17.

“Given the list of threats on subways and rails over the last six
years going on seven years, we know that some terrorist groups see rail
and subways as being more vulnerable because there’s not the type of
screening that you find in aviation,” Pistole said. “From my
perspective, that is an equally important threat area.”

In addition, Pistole said he would like to see TSA workers,
including 47,000 screeners at 450 airports, to operate as a
“national-security, counterterrorism organization, fully integrated
into U.S. government efforts.” He wants to “take TSA to the next level.”